I read some of your are gun shooters, archery shooters or dart players. I've never learned any of these. Maybe you could share &amp; explain the breathing techniques used to relax yourself and steady your arms and hands. I'm on the nervous side. Although I don't think I was actually shaking, I felt like my hands were trembling during the last 7 &amp; under handicap tournament in which I finally beat a few easy opponets. I just try to go ahead and line up the shot in my mind. Picture the ball going in. And shoot it in. I was thinking the breathing techniques would be similar for pool and the other mentioned sports. I'm referring to stuff you see on tv. Like take a deep breath. Release some. Now hold it. Shoot. Some of you have briefly mentioned breathing or relaxtion techniques in responses to various threads. I thought a separate post for it might be helpful. Thanks.

PQQLK9

07-05-2002, 11:49 AM

What was Fast Eddie's drink...JTS Brown..no ice no glass.../ccboard/images/icons/smile.gif

JimS

07-05-2002, 12:05 PM

Hi Eddie,

I've been meditating for years and there is really no secret to it.

When I'm playing pool, and in the chair, I breathe through the nose to the count of about 5 seconds in and out and as I exhale I consciously let the tension in my neck, shoulders and arms be released. This helps me let the pool playing muscles stay fluid.

When standing over the shot deciding on the point in the pocket I want to hit, visualizing the aim line, the point of contact, the angle, the ghost ball, the cb action and visualizing the ob and the cb going where I want them I deep breathe and let the tension go.

Then when I get down on the shot and am pausing at the cb reading myself for the final back stroke I breathe in while pulling back and hold it as I stroke, exhaling after the stroke is completed and before I get up...or in conjunction with raising up. This keeps me from jumping up off the shot.

I use this technique to try to stay at ease all day long whether playing pool or not. It takes a lot of the stress out of life, helps me deal with pain or any discomfort whether it be physical or mental.

07-05-2002, 12:12 PM

Lol. Yeah in The Hustler and The Color Of Money.

john bastian in pa

07-05-2002, 12:29 PM

Aaahhh. A man after my own heart!

Wendy~~Ask not what your pool game can do for you, but what you can do for your pool game.

LOL. I'm not a drinker.
I have a bad stomach. In fact I usually won't have eaten or drank anything except water for at least 12 before a practice session. When I hope to be able to practice the next day I won't eat or drink anything but water from about midnight. And then hopefully I will be able to go start a practice session sometime from about 12:00-4:00pm. That's only if my stomach is ok. And before a mini tournament I usually move up that time to not eat or drink anything but water to 7:00 pm the day before. That's when 1 hour practice session starts. Just what I have to put up with if I want to play. And I usually try to drink 1 or 2 bottles of water during a practice session. And maybe 1 bottle during a tournament if I don't lose the first match.

phil in sofla

07-05-2002, 03:48 PM

I use a post-hypnotic suggestion put into my head using an induced hypnotic state from an audio tape series I got. It was suggested to me while listening to the tape that when I wish to make myself experience a relaxed state conducive to shooting my best, I give myself a pre-set verbal clue, which is to close my eyes, say the first word of the trigger silently, open my eyes and silently say the next two words, and then say the whole phrase aloud. it's prearranged via the hypnotic suggestion to last about 45 minutes, at which time I'll do it again, then rinse and repeat, if desired.

As part of this state while playing, I'll take a big breath as I'm getting down on the line of the shot, blowing it out during my preshot stroking routine, and then, when it is gone, hold my breath and pull the trigger on the shot.

You don't want to be breathing as you shoot, just as for archery or target shooting with guns, you want to hold your breath at the time of release/execution.

CarolNYC

07-05-2002, 04:10 PM

Hi Eddie,
What is it that is making you nervous?Is it the anxiousness of winning or some other surrounding disturbance?Sometimes when I am on the hill, I rush to drop that 9 and wind up dogging a shot, so I've learned the hard way and it is more or less just saying "make the shot","take your time" "no rush" or if it is a difficult shot, which I usually shoot(practicing) 100x a day-when I come upon it, I just say "DRILLSHOT!" And pop it in!There are also pressure points on your body e.g. hands,chin,etc.,that can be compressed nonchalantly and relieve stress-just find a chart of pressure points and use the one you are comfortable with! Hope I was some kind of help!
Take care!
Carol